Fifth. 'For Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation' (Heb 9:28). Here we have it promised that he shall come, that he shall appear the second time, but not with sin, as he did before—to wit, with and in the sin of his people, when he bare them in his own body; but now without sin, for he before did put them away by the sacrifice of himself. Now, then, let the saints look for him, not to die for the purchasing of their persons by blood, but to bring to them, and to bring them to that salvation that before he died, he obtained of God for them by his death.
Therefore, these things are expected by those who believe in and love Jesus Christ, and that from faith and love serve him in this world; they are to be expected by them, being obtained for them by Jesus Christ. And he shall give the crown, saith Paul, 'not to me only, but to all them also that love his appearing' (2 Tim 4:8,9).
Now forasmuch as this inheritance in the heavens is the price, purchase, and reward of his blood, how evidently doth it appear that he hath paid full price to God for sinners! Would God else have given him the heaven to dispose of us who believe, and would he have told us so? Yea, and what comfort could we have to look for his coming, kingdom, and glory as the fruits of his death if his death had not for that purpose been sufficiently efficacious? O 'the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that shall follow!' (1 Peter 1:11).
NINTH. That Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full price to God for sinners and obtained eternal redemption for sinners, is evident because of the threatening wherewith God hath threatened, and the punishments wherewith he punished those that shall refuse to be saved by Christ, or seek to make insignificant the doctrine of righteousness by faith in him.
This demonstration consisted of three parts: First, it suggested that some refuse to be justified or saved by Christ and also seek to make the doctrine of righteousness by faith in him insignificant. Second, it stated that God threatened these. Third, it stated that God would punish these.
[First.] That some refuse to be saved by Christ is evident from many texts. He is the stone which the builders have rejected; he is also disallowed of men; the Jews stumble at him, and to the Greeks, he is foolishness; both saying, This man shall not rule over us, or, How can this man save us? (Psa 118:22; Matt 21:44; Luke 19:14; 1 Cor 1:23; 1 Peter 2:4).
The causes of men's refusing Christ are many—1. Their love to sin. 2. Their ignorance of his excellency. 3. Their unbelief. 4. They deferred to come to him at an acceptable time. 5. Their leaning to their own righteousness. 6. Their entertaining, damnable doctrines. 7. They love the praise of men. 8. The meanness of his ways, his people, &c. 9. The just judgment of God upon them. 10. The kingdom is given to others.
Now these, as they all refuse him, so they seek, more or less, some practically, others in practice and judgment also, to make insignificant the doctrine of righteousness by faith in him. One does it by preferring his sins before him. Another does it by preferring his righteousness before him. Another dies it by preferring his delusions before him. Another does it by preferring the world before him.
Now these God threatened, these God punished.
Second. God threatened them.
1. Whosoever shall 'not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from amongst the people' (Acts 3:23). The prophet is Jesus Christ; the doctrine that he preached was that he would lay down his life for us, that he would give us his flesh to eat, and his blood to drink by faith; and promised, that if we did eat his flesh, and drink his blood, we should have eternal life. He therefore that see not, or that is afraid to venture his soul for salvation on the flesh and blood of Christ by faith, he refused this prophet, heareth not this prophet, and God hath purposed to cut off. But would God thus have threatened if Christ, by his blood and the merits of the same, had not paid full price to God for sinners and obtained eternal redemption for them?
2. 'Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool' (Psa 110:1; Matt 22:44; Heb 1:13). The honor of sitting at God's right hand was given him because he died and offered his body once for all. 'This man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool' (Heb 10:12,13). Expecting, since God accepted his offering, that those who refused him should be trodden underfoot, that is, sunk by him into and under endless and insupportable vengeance. But would God have given the world such an account of his sufferings that by one offering, he did perfect for them that are sanctified? Yea, and would he have threatened to make those foes his footstool that shall refuse to venture themselves upon his offering—for they are indeed his foes—had not his eternal Majesty been well pleased with the price he paid to God for sinners; had he not obtained eternal redemption for them?
